Inside Reba McEntire's Relationship With Rex Linn

Reba McEntire and boyfriend Rex Linn have not been shy about sharing their affection for each other. Following 26 years of marriage to country legend Narvel Blackstock that ended in 2015, McEntire dated Anthony "Skeeter" Lasuzzo for two years before calling it quits in 2019, per Today. The next year, the "Fancy" singer reconnected with Linn during the COVID-19 pandemic after meeting in 1991. "We've kept in contact with each other over the years, and we both know the same people," she said on "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen" in November 2020. "And then we started texting and talking on the telephone, getting to know each other better during the quarantine." 

Linn, a seasoned film and television actor who was a former mainstay on "CSI: Miami," was the first to hint at the budding romance when he uploaded a photo on Instagram of him and McEntire cozying up after dinner in January 2020. The country star finally spilled the beans about the relationship on her "Living & Learning" podcast in October of that year. "Getting back in the dating world for me is fun and exciting," she said (via People). "It's good to have a person to talk to, laugh with, get into subjects about what's going on," McEntire added. The singer spoke about the couple bonding over their acting careers and mutual love for music. "We're having a blast and still getting to know each other," McEntire said at the time, but would she ever consider marrying Linn?

The history between Reba McEntire and Rex Linn runs deep, as the two actors first met while working on the film "The Gambler" in 1991, as McEntire said while appearing on "Today" on October 14. Besides their acting careers, the duo have a lot in common. "We were both wannabe cowboys, cowgirls then got into the entertainment business. We have a lot [of] similar loves and passions," the "I'm a Survivor" singer told Extra on Oct. 8. They also both share an affinity for posting adorable photos of each other on Instagram. Linn affectionately refers to McEntire as "Tater Tot" in his posts, and he shared a charming photo of the singer loading up on snacks during their first movie date.

According to McEntire, the two initially reconnected when Linn reached out while her mother was deathly ill, and they crossed paths while working on the show "Young Sheldon." "So starting in March of 2020, we just kept talking and visiting and finally got together, see each other in June. And we've been pretty much inseparable ever since," she revealed while on "Today."

As the intensity of the relationship increased, the couple have occasionally broached the subject of marriage. "We've talked about it and giggled about it," McEntire admitted while speaking to Extra. The veteran entertainers joked that they would need multiple wedding ceremonies to accommodate all their "many friends, acquaintances, and family."